We Dissent.
With determined energy, the Amelia Bloomer Project curates a booklist of notable feminist literature for people from birth to age eighteen. Our work affirms the power of hearing, sharing, and trusting women’s voices.
As Ruth Bader Ginsburg said, “Fight for the things that you care about. But do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” This picture book biography shows how one girl’s conviction led to lifelong powerful action and meaningful dissent (I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark).
We are One. We are Many.
From a childhood framed by personal and public sexual violence, Una moves from silence to searing analysis of global injuries committed against women (Becoming Unbecoming). Rad Women Worldwide: Artists and Athletes, Pirates and Punks, and Other Revolutionaries Who Shaped History profiles forty remarkable women whose lives and work mark history indelibly.
We Believe. We Challenge.
Personal narratives underscore the profound power of listening to and believing survivors of sexual assault in We Believe You: Survivors of Campus Sexual Assault Speak Out. Through rap, Rani processes her familial dysfunction and history of incest. As she grows as an artist, she uses her strong voice to challenge everyday misogyny (Rani Patel in Full Effect).
We Organize. We Lead.
Organizing a disparate group of survivors, Mercy Wong creates community in the aftermath of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake in Outrun the Moon. The myriad and remarkable accomplishments of HRC are honored in this picture book for young readers who will be inspired to follow her lead (Hillary Rodham Clinton: Some Girls Are Born to Lead).
We Stumble. We Rise.
Sady Doyle interrogates our complicity in the cultural obsession with tearing down women in the spotlight, particularly when they stumble (Trainwreck: The Women We Love to Hate, Mock, and Fear….and Why). E.K. Johnston portrays a world where a survivor of trauma can and does rise when her story is believed and handled as it should be (Exit, Pursued by a Bear).
Feminism is not only a noun, but a call to action. This year, you, along with millions of others, must dissent, believe, challenge, organize, lead, stumble, and rise. We know this list will help you accomplish these goals. This is the 2017 Amelia Bloomer Project List. We will go forward together. Join us!
The Amelia Bloomer List is a project of the Feminist Task Force of the Social Responsibilities Round Table of the American Library Association. Members of the 2017 Amelia Bloomer Project committee are Katie Mitchell (co-chair), Saline District Library (MI); Lizz Zitron (co-chair), Pacific Lutheran University (WA); Katelyn Browne, University of Northern Iowa (IA); Kelly Dickinson, National Cathedral School (DC); Emily Fear, Sewickley Public Library (PA); Kelsey Keyes, Boise State University (ID); Caitie Morphew, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (PA); Melissa Nemitz, West Windsor Public Library (NJ); Leila Roy, Lyman Community Library (ME); and Dr. Susan C. Griffith (alternate), Central Michigan University (MI).
An asterisk (*) indicates that a book is one of our Top Ten titles.
Early Readers
Early Readers–Fiction
Cronin, Doreen. Bloom. Illus. by David Small. 2016. 40p. Atheneum Books For Young Readers/Caitlyn Dlouhy Book, $17.99 (978-1-4424-0620-9). PreS-Gr.2.
Under mud fairy Bloom’s mentorship, Genevieve learns magic that will save the glass kingdom and that “there is no such thing as an ordinary girl.”
Hagar, Erin. Doing Her Bit: A Story About the Woman’s Land Army of America. Illus. by Jen Hill. 2016. 32p. Charlesbridge, $16.95 (978-1-5808-9646-7). Gr.1-4.
During WWI, many women joined the Women’s Land Army of America to work on farms as a way to support the country and themselves despite discrimination.
Robbins, Dean. Two Friends: Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass. Illus. by Sean Qualls and Selina Alko. 2016. Unpaged. Scholastic/Orchard Books, $17.99 (978-0-545-39996-8). PreS-Gr.2.
Anthony and Douglass share the stories of their fights for gender and racial equality over tea. “Some people had rights, while others had none. Why shouldn’t they have them, too?”
Early Readers–Nonfiction
Alexander, Carol. Bessie Coleman: Trailblazing Pilot. 2016. 32p. Scholastic/Children’s Press, $17.25 (978-0-531-22545-5). PreS-Gr.2.
Despite challenges that included poverty, racism, and sexism, Bessie Coleman achieved success as the first female black pilot in the world.
Alexander, Heather. U.S. Women’s Soccer: Go for Gold!. 2016. 32p. Penguin Young Readers, $14.99 (978-0-399-54224-4). Gr.1-4.
After structural changes allowed women to play high-level organized sports, the U.S. women’s soccer team became a dominant athletic force.
Bissonette, Aimee. Miss Colfax’s Light. Illus. by Eileen Ryan Ewen. 2016. 32p. Sleeping Bear Press, $16.99. (978-1-58536955-3). Gr.1-4.
Appointed the keeper of the Michigan City lighthouse, Harriet Colfax worked tirelessly for 43 years to fulfill the daunting and challenging duties and to live life on her terms.
Burleigh, Robert. Solving the Puzzle Under the Sea: Marie Tharp Maps the Ocean Floor. Illus. by Raúl Colón. 2016. 40p. Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, $17.99 (978-1-4814-1600-9). Gr.K-3.
A fearless scientist who faced sexism, Marie Tharp forever changed our understanding of the ocean’s floors and helped prove the theory of continental drift.
Kaiser, Lisbeth. Maya Angelou. Illus. by Leire Salaberria. 2016. Unpaged. Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, $14.99 (978-1-84780-889-9). Gr.PreS-3.
Empowered by literature, Maya Angelou used her voice to combat racism and sexism.
Lang, Heather. Fearless Flyer: Ruth Law and Her Flying Machine. Illus. by Raúl Colón. 2016. Unpaged. Highlights/Calkins Creek, $16.95 (978-1-62091-650-6). PreS-Gr.3.
One of history’s first female aviators, Ruth Law made the first solo flight from Chicago to New York.
Lang, Heather. Swimming with Sharks: The Daring Discoveries of Eugenie Clark. Illus. by Jordi Solano. 2016. Unpaged. Albert Whitman & Company, $16.99 (978-0-8075-2187-8). Gr.K-3.
As a young girl, Eugenie Clark had been fascinated with fish and sharks. She became the world’s first and foremost expert in the field, leading to the nickname “Shark Lady.”
Markel, Michelle. Hillary Rodham Clinton: Some Girls Are Born to Lead. Illus. by LeUyen Pham. 2016. 40p. HarperCollins/Balzer and Bray, $17.99 (978-0-0623-8122-4). Gr.K-3.
Since childhood, Hillary Rodham Clinton has stood up against injustice and broken barriers. She has devoted her life to fighting for women and children in the U.S. and worldwide.
*Levy, Debbie. I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark. Illus. by Elizabeth Baddeley. 2016. Unpaged. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $17.99 (978-1-4814-6559-5). Gr.1-5.
Ginsburg has challenged inequality since childhood. She fought sexism and prejudice to become a Supreme Court justice who works to ensure that everyone is treated fairly under the law.
Macy, Sue. Miss Mary Reporting. Illus. by C.F. Payne. 2016. Unpaged. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $17.99 (978-1-4814-0120-3). K-Gr.3.
As one of the first female sportswriters, Mary Garber fought for equality and fairness both in her professional endeavors and in the stories she brought to readers.
Plan International. As a Boy. 2016. Unpaged. Second Story Press, $18.95 (978-1-77260-016-2). PreS-Gr.3.
Showing that feminism is global, As a Boy encourages young boys to recognize sexism and to combat it because it is the right thing to do for all humans.
Rappaport, Doreen. Elizabeth Started All the Trouble. Illus. by Matt Faulkner. 2016. Unpaged. Disney-Hyperion, $17.99 (978-078685142-3). Gr.1-4.
This primer on the history of the suffrage movement introduces Elizabeth Cady Stanton and her allies in the long journey toward the Nineteenth Amendment.
Rockliff, Mara. Anything But Ordinary Addie: The True Story of Adelaide Herrmann, Queen of Magic. Illus. by Iacopo Bruno. 2016. Unpaged. Candlewick, $17.99 (978-0-7636-6841-9). Gr.1-4.
The forgotten history of one of the world’s greatest and most respected stage magicians comes back to life. Poof!
Rockliff, Mara. Around America to Win the Vote: Two Suffragists, a Kitten, and 10,000 Miles. Illus. by Hadley Hooper. 2016. Unpaged. Candlewick, $16.99 (978-0-7636-7893-7). PreS-Gr.3.
In 1916, Nell and Alice drove across America to promote women’s suffrage. Their exciting tour included a yellow car, a trunk full of useful things, and a little black kitten.
Sánchez Vegara, Ma. Isabel. Amelia Earhart. Illus. by Mariadiamantes. 2016. Unpaged. Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, $14.99 (978-1-84780-888-2). PreS-Gr.3.
Amelia Earhart became the first woman pilot to accomplish many feats. She never stopped pursuing her dreams or encouraging other women pilots.
*Stanley, Diane. Ada Lovelace, Poet of Science: The First Computer Programmer. Illus. by Jessie Hartland. 2016. Unpaged. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $17.99 (978-1-4814-5249-6). PreS-Gr.4.
A great imagination and a rigorous mathematical education led Ada Lovelace to write the very first computer program.
Van Steenwyk, Elizabeth. How Kate Warne Saved President Lincoln. Illus. by Valentina Belloni. 2016. Unpaged. Albert Whitman & Company, $16.99 (978-0-8075-4117-3). K-Gr.3.
After convincing Allan Pinkerton to hire her as his first female detective, Kate Warne solved many crimes and helped protect Abraham Lincoln from an assassination attempt.
Van Vleet, Carmella, and Dr. Kathy Sullivan. To the Stars!: The First American Woman to Walk in Space. Illus. by Nicole Wong. 2016. Unpaged. Charlesbridge, $16.95 (978-1-58089-644-3). Gr.1-5.
An inspiring story of how Dr. Kathy Sullivan, a young girl who loved exploring, defied convention and became the first American woman to walk in space.
Vernick, Audrey. The Kid From Diamond Street: The Extraordinary Story of Baseball Legend Edith Houghton. Illus. by Steven Salerno. 2016. 40p. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/Clarion, $17.99 (978-0-544-61163-4). PreS-Gr.4.
Edith Houghton was told that girls don’t play baseball, but at age ten, she tried out for a professional baseball team, the Philadelphia Bobbies, and became their starting shortstop.
Middle Grade
Middle Grade–Fiction
O’Neill, Katie. Princess Princess Ever After. 2016. 53p. Oni Press, $12.99. (978-1-62010-340-1). Gr.4-up.
Princesses Amira and Sadie are determined not to live the fairy-tale lives prescribed for them. Working together, they achieve their goals and much more.
Middle Grade–Nonfiction
Braun, Eric. Loretta Lynch: First African American Woman Attorney General. 2016. 48p. Lerner, $26.65 (978-1-5124-0586-6). Gr.4-6.
Loretta Lynch, the first African American woman Attorney General, fought racism and sexism on her way to heading the US Department of Justice.
Cornell, Kari. Urban Biologist Danielle Lee. 32p. Lerner/Lerner Classroom, $8.99 (978-1-4677-9719-1). Gr.2-5.
Danielle Lee overcame obstacles to earn her Ph.D. in biology. She works with urban students and blogs to make science more accessible and relevant.
Maggs, Sam. Wonder Women: 25 Innovators, Inventors, and Trailblazers Who Changed History. Illus. by Sophia Foster-DiMino. 2016. 240p. Quirk Books, $16.99 (978-1-59474-925-4). Gr.6-up.
Wonder Women provides thought-provoking profiles that introduces world-changing women of history, as well as connecting the impact of their work to the work of women in STEM fields today.
Noyes, Deborah. Ten Days a Madwoman: The Daring Life and Turbulent Times of the Original “Girl” Reporter, Nellie Bly. 2016. 144p. Penguin/Viking Books for Young Readers, $18.99 (978-0-8037-4017-4). Gr.5-8.
“Girl” reporter Nellie Bly pioneered investigative stunt journalism, using her writing to reveal injustice and corruption while blazing a new path for young women in the profession.
Rosenstock, Barb. Dorothea’s Eyes: Dorothea Lange Photographs the Truth. Illus. by Gérard DuBois. 2016. Unpaged. Highlights/Calkins Creek, $16.95 (978-1-62979-208-8). Gr.2-5.
As a young child with polio from a poor family, Dorothea worked to achieve her “unladylike” dream of becoming a photographer. Her photographs showed Americans the truth in hard times.
Schatz, Kate. Rad Women Worldwide: Artists and Athletes, Pirates and Punks, and Other Revolutionaries Who Shaped History. Illus. by Miriam Klein Stahl. 2016. 104p. Penguin Random House/Ten Speed Press, $15.99 (978-0-399-57886-1). Gr.5-up.
Schatz and Stahl follow up Rad American Women A-Z with 40 trailblazing women from 30 different countries, from ancient Mesopotamia to the modern age.
Swaby, Rachel. Trailblazers: 33 Women in Science Who Changed the World. 2016. 195p. Random House/Delacorte, $15.99 (978-0-399-55396-7). Gr.5-9.
Short profiles of 33 significant women scientists illustrate the important, groundbreaking work they have done in the face of significant gender and racial discrimination in their fields.
Young Adult
Young Adult–Fiction
Allison, John. Giant Days (vol. 1). Illus. by Lissa Treiman. 2015. 128p. BOOM!Box, $9.99 (978-1-60886-789-9). Gr.10-up.
Susan, Esther, and Daisy have become friends in their first semester at college. As they each long to reinvent themselves, they explore feminism, boundaries, and relationships with laughter and heart.
Beaton, Kate. Step Aside, Pops: A Hark! A Vagrant Collection. 2015. 166p. Drawn & Quarterly, $19.95 (978-1-77046-208-3). Gr.8-up.
Beaton skewers historical figures, literary characters, and popular misconceptions of feminism through incisive comics.
Cho, Zen. Sorcerer to the Crown. 2015. 371p. Penguin Random House/Ace Books, $26.95 (978-0-425-28337-0). Gr.8-up.
Sorcerer Royal Zacharias struggles to gain respect from racist and suspicious peers. As a woman, Prunella is forced to suppress her magical abilities. Together, they upend Britain’s magical hierarchy.
Divakaruni, Chitra Banerjee. Before We Visit the Goddess. 2016. 210p. Simon & Schuster, $25.00 (978-1-4767-9200-2). Gr.10-up.
The intertwined stories of three generations of Indian women haunt their pasts as they fight to find their places in the world and gain independence.
Fleming, Jacky. The Trouble with Women. 2016. 128p. Andrews McMeel, $12.99 (978-1-4494-7976-3). Gr.7-up.
Through satirical cartoons, Fleming explains why, for most of history, men have been Geniuses while women have been relegated to the dustbin.
Girard, M-E. Girl Mans Up. 2016. 373p. HarperCollins/HarperTeen, $17.99 (978-0-0624-0417-6). Gr.10-up.
Pen Oliveira struggles to define herself within the expectations of friends and her traditional family, while navigating new relationships.
Glasgow, Kathleen. Girl in Pieces. 2016. 406p. Random House/Delacorte, $18.99 (978-1-1019-3471-5). Gr.10-up.
Following an early release from a mental health facility, Charlie attempts to reclaim her identity. A new relationship threatens to bring out her own self-destructive impulses.
Hand, Cynthia, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows. My Lady Jane. 2016. 491p. HarperCollins/HarperTeen, $17.99 (978-0-06-239174-2). Gr.9-up.
After uncovering a plot to usurp King Edward from the throne, Lady Jane Grey strives to find a peaceful balance between two rival magical parties while trampling gender stereotypes.
*Hardinge, Frances. The Lie Tree. 2016. 377p. Abrams/Amulet, $17.95 (978-1-4197-1895-3). Gr.7-up.
When Faith’s father is found dead in an apparent suicide, Faith knows he was murdered. Full of questions, curiosity, and intellect, Faith intends to find justice by whatever means necessary.
Heppermann, Christine. Ask Me How I Got Here. 2016. 225p. HarperCollins/Greenwillow, $17.99 (978-0-06-238795-0). Gr.9-up.
When star runner Addie Solokowski discovers that she’s pregnant, she chooses to have an abortion. Addie turns to poetry to process complex relationships with her body, sexuality, and religion.
*Johnston, E.K. Exit, Pursued by a Bear. 2016. 248p. Penguin/Dutton Books for Young Readers, $17.99 (978-1-101-99458-0). Gr.9-up.
After being drugged and raped at cheer camp, Hermione Winters works to regain control over her body, life, and identity.
Khoury, Jessica. The Forbidden Wish. 2016. 340p. Penguin/Razorbill, $17.99 (978-1-59514-767-7). Gr.8-up.
This retelling of Aladdin and the Jinni focuses on the jinni Zahra’s path to autonomy and agency.
Lee, Stacey. Outrun the Moon. 2016. 391p. Penguin/G.P. Putnam’s Sons, $17.99 (978-0-399-17541-1). Gr.7-up.
Mercy Wong uses her intelligence and ingenuity to be admitted into the the all-white St. Clare’s School for Girls. When disaster strikes, the girls of St. Clare’s must work together.
*Medina, Meg. Burn Baby Burn. 2016. 320p. Candlewick, $17.99 (978-0-7636-7467-0). Gr.9-12.
Nora López navigates the summer after high school graduation—from uncertainty about her future to her participation in the Women’s Movement to fears about the serial killer stalking the city—in 1977 Queens.
Okparanta, Chinelo. Under the Udala Trees. 2015. 328p. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/Mariner Books, $26.00 (978-0-544-81179-6-9). Gr.10-up.
Ijeoma struggles against patriarchal and heteronormative expectations to build a safe, honest life for herself.
O’Neill, Louise. Asking For It. 2016. 324p. Quercus, $16.99 (978-1-68144-537-3). Gr.10-up.
Emma O’Donovan has always been in control–until an assault changes everything. Everyone has an opinion about that night and about Emma, but all Emma wants is for everything to stop.
Patel, Sonia. Rani Patel in Full Effect. 2016. 314p. Cinco Puntos Press, $16.95 (978-1-941026-496). Gr.10-up.
As Rani expresses herself and her feminism through rap, she processes the impact of incest and other abuse on her life. She draws power from feminist ideas and stories of women in her own family.
Rivera, Gabby. Juliet Takes a Breath. 2016. 266p. Riverdale Avenue Books, $19.99 (978-1-62601-251-6). Gr.10-up.
After coming out to her Puerto Rican family, Juliet Milagros Palante leaves the Bronx to intern with a white feminist author in Portland. Juliet comes of age exploring the intersections of her feminist identity.
Smith, Amber. The Way I Used to Be. 2016. 367p. Simon & Schuster/Margaret K. McElderry Books, $17.99 (978-1-4814-4935-9). Gr.9-up.
Eden is raped by her brother’s best friend. She keeps the assault secret–but the effects, both emotional and physical, carry through her four years of high school.
Spotswood, Jessica. Wild Swans. 2016. 295p. Sourcebooks/Sourcebooks Fire, $10.99 (978-1-4926-2216-1). Gr.9-up.
When her long absent mother returns to town, Ivy Milbourn must confront a complicated family legacy and its influence on her sense of self, her sexuality, and her relationships.
Umminger, Alison. American Girls. 2016. 293p. Flatiron Books, $17.99 (978-1-250-07500-0). Gr.10-up.
While staying with her actress sister in LA and researching the Manson girls, fifteen-year-old Anna dissects what it means to be young, female and powerless in a hostile culture.
Wilson, G. Willow. Ms. Marvel vol. 4: Last Days. Illus. by Adrian Alphona. 2015. Unpaged. Marvel, $17.99 (978-0-7851-9736-2). Gr.7-up.
As the apocalypse approaches, Kamala gathers her strength, draws support from her friends and family, and rededicates herself to the fight for justice.
Young Adult–Nonfiction
*Barakat, Ibtisam. Balcony on the Moon: Coming of Age in Palestine. 2016. 217p. Farrar Straus Giroux/Margaret Ferguson Books, $17.99 (978-0-374-30251-1). Gr.8-up.
Set against the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the author tells her story of defying traditional gender roles in order to finish her education, avoid early marriage, and help her mother obtain an education.
*Clark, Annie E. and Andrea L. Pino. We Believe You: Survivors of Campus Sexual Assault Speak Out. 2016. 351p. Henry Holt and Company/Holt Paperbacks, $17.00 (978-1-62779-533-3). Gr.10-up.
Stories of survivors and activists who have mobilized to break the silence surrounding the painful reality of sexual violence on college campuses.
Conkling, Winifred. Radioactive!: How Irène Curie and Lise Meitner Revolutionized Science and Changed the World. 2016. 227p. Workman Publishing/Algonquin Young Readers, $17.95 (978-1-61620-415-0). Gr.7-up.
While Irène Curie co-discovered artificial radioactivity and Lise Meitner co-discovered nuclear fission, both women and their significant scientific work were frequently challenged, undervalued, and disrespected by sexist institutions and individuals.
*Doyle, Sady. Trainwreck: The Women We Love to Hate, Mock, and Fear… and Why. 2016. 320p. Melville House, $25.99 (978-1-61219-563-6). Gr.10-up.
From Mary Wollstonecraft to Britney Spears, the sexist construction of the “trainwreck” frames Doyle’s examination of our expectations of women.
Ebadi, Shirin. Until We Are Free: My Fight for Human Rights in Iran. 2016. 286p. Random House, $27.00 (978-0-8129-9887-0). Gr.8-up.
Through years of political turmoil and intimidation, Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi has used her legal practice to fight for justice and human rights for all people in Iran.
Eickhoff, Diane. Clarina Nichols: Frontier Crusader for Women’s Rights. 2016. 230p. Quindaro Press, $17.95 (978-0-9669-2588-3). Gr.8-up.
Fueled by an abusive marriage, Clarina Nichols fought for women’s suffrage and rights while creating a brighter future for women on the frontier.
Gomez, Betsy, ed. CBLDF Presents: She Changed Comics: The Untold Story of the Women Who Changed Free Expression in Comics. 2016. 170p. Image Comics, $14.99 (978-1-6321-5929-8) Gr.8-up.
Boundary-busting female writers, artists, publishers, and editors have played a significant role in maintaining free expression and creating ground-breaking content in comics.
Keyser, Amber J., ed. The V-Word: True Stories About First-Time Sex. 2016. 208p. Simon & Schuster/Beyond Words, $19.99 (978-1-58270-590-3). Gr.10-up.
A compilation of refreshingly honest essays addressing sex and virginity.
Rossetti, Carol. Women: Body-Positive Art to Inspire and Empower. 2015. 143p. Skyhorse Publishing, $14.99 (978-1-63450-250-4). Gr.10-up.
Rossetti explores the many issues women and girls face related to body image, gender, sexuality, and personal identity via truthful and diverse illustrations of individual women.
Samancı, Özge. Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey. 2015. 190p. Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, $16.99 (978-0-374-31698-3). Gr.7-up.
Özge learns to hear her own voice and push back against others’ expectations to create a life that will satisfy her own desires and needs.
Schiot, Molly. Game Changers: The Unsung Heroines of Sports History. 2016. 309p. Simon & Schuster, $25.00 (978-1-5011-3709-9). Gr.7-up.
Across sports, nations, and decades, these profiles call attention to celebrated and lesser-known women pioneers.
Shetterly, Margot Lee. Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race. 2016. 346p. HarperCollins/William Morrow, $27.99 (978-0-06-236359-6). Gr.9-up.
During World War II, the need for qualified mathematicians led NASA to hire these talented black women. Systemic racism and sexism has hidden their essential contributions to the space race.
*Stoian, Maria. Take It As a Compliment. 2016. 97p. Jessica Kingsley/Singing Dragon, $24.95 (978-1-84905-697-7). Gr.10-up.
In episodic comics, Stoian shares twenty individuals’ experiences with sexual harassment and sexual assault.
*Una. Becoming Unbecoming. 2016. 211p. Arsenal Pulp Press, $24.95 (978-1-55152-653-9). Gr.10-up.
Beginning with her own childhood experiences with rape, slut-shaming, and the search for the Yorkshire Ripper, Una examines the societal attitudes that create our culture of sexual violence.
West, Lindy. Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman. 2016. 260p. Hachette Books, $26.00 (978-0-316-34840-9). Gr.10-up.
In this series of personal essays, writer, comedian, and activist West challenges cultural forces that are hostile to women, particularly fat women, and interfere with the ability of women to survive and thrive.
Westly, Erica. Fastpitch: The Untold History of Softball and the Women Who Made the Game. 2016. 291p. Simon & Schuster/Touchstone, $26.00 (978-1-5011-1859-3). Gr.8-up.
The enthralling history of softball’s pioneers has long been untold and now serves to inspire and motivate anyone who has ever wanted to play
Wittenstein, Vicki Oransky. Reproductive Rights: Who Decides? 2016. 160p. Lerner/Twenty-First Century, $38.65 (978-1-4677-4187-3). Gr.7-up.
The complex history of contraception, abortion, and reproduction are explored through medical, historical, and social lenses.
Rise 
Great list—WONDERFUL books!! I happened to have written about males for my last two biographies . . . but I always watch carefully for this very important list and make a point to read/ purchase as many of the titles as possible. Thanks to all of the writers, illustrators and hard-working committee members who shine a spotlight on these these terrific books.
I must say, My Lady Jane is not very feminist (There’s a scene where the love interest locks Jane in a cage), and I’ve heard a lot of backlash against Rani Patel in Full Effect. Other than that, great list!